Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.

Mental Health

Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.

Public health

Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.

Reproductive Health

For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.

Health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

samedi 6 janvier 2018

30 Breathtaking North American Natural Wonders You Have to See Before You Die

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When it comes to traveling, Americans often feel like they haven't seen enough, despite the number of foreign countries they may be lucky enough to have already visited. You might be determined to visit the famed Seven Wonders of the World, but did you know there are actually dozens and dozens of natural wonders to see right here in North America? From the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park to Hubbard Glacier in Alaska and Canada to Baja California Sur, you could easily take a road trip (or two or three) across our great continent, never ceasing to be impressed. Have a look at this gallery and start planning your next semilocal vacation.

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Hey, Outlander Fans! Peek Inside Claire - Ahem - Caitriona Balfe's Stunning Home Life

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Caitriona Balfe is breathtaking as the enigmatic Claire Fraser on Outlander, but, it turns out the actress's life is nothing short of elegant off screen as well. From beautifying her trailer to noticing the everyday design details around her, this Irish-born actress infuses European chic into everything she touches. Check out 17 inspiring examples ahead.

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A Running List of Donald Trump's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Nicknames

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One of the most consistent aspects of the Trump era has been the president's use of often offensive and always overzealous nicknames. As we noted here six months ago, that bullying spirit is directed at anyone who gets in the way, one that brings down everything that the administration stands for to an almost unbelievably childish level. Not quite sure what we're referring to? Well, in order to show just how insane the whole thing really is, we've gone through all the Trump tweets and media appearances and come up with a list of what he's repeatedly called his least favorite people (and media outlets) over the past few years. Spoiler alert: judging by the latest addition - on Jan. 4, railing on former aide Steve Bannon as being "Sloppy Steve" - this trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Ahead, read through the full extent of the madness - and be sure to check back on this story, as we'll be updating as new nicknames are added to his lexicon.

  • Kim Jong-Un, Leader of North Korea: "Rocket Man"
  • Steve Bannon, former top Trump aide: "Sloppy Steve"
  • Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and first lady: "Crooked Hillary"
  • Mika Brzezinski, Morning Joe Host: "Dumb as a rock Mika"
  • James Comey, former FBI director: "Leakin' James Comey"
  • Face the Nation: "Deface the Nation"
  • Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida: "Wacky Congressman Wilson"
  • Megyn Kelly, NBC News Host: "Crazy Megyn"
  • Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee: "Liddle' Bob Corker"
  • Luther Strange, former Alabama Senator: "Big Luther"
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts: "Pocohontas"
  • Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York: "Cryin' Chuck Schumer"
  • CNN: "Clinton News Network"
  • Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida: "Low Energy Jeb"
  • Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas: "Lyin' Ted"
  • Joe Scarborough, Morning Joe Host: "Psycho Joe"
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont: "Crazy Bernie"
  • Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona: "Jeff Flake(y)"
  • Chuck Todd, Meet the Press Host: "Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd"
  • Al Franken, former senator from Minnesota: "Al Frankenstien"
  • Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama: "Puppet Jones"
  • Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida: "Little Marco"
  • The Washington Post: "The Amazon Washington Post"
  • Katy Tur, NBC News Reporter: "Little Katy"
  • The New York Times: "The Failing New York Times"
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The Best iPhone 8 Plus Cases of 2018

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If there's one thing we can say for certain, it's that no new iPhone is complete without the perfect case. But at the same time, actually finding the perfect case can be one of the most tizzy-inducing experiences of our modern lives. But never fear! We've gone through all of the best cases currently available for purchase and found all of the ones that are unquestionably worth the money (and will jazz up your style). We'll be continuing to add to this list as the year goes on, but ahead, find the 14 cases we're certain you'll fall in love with - and be sure to check back to see what else 2018 has in store for your iPhone 8 Plus!

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Trump Throws Bannon Under the Bus, Says "He Lost His Mind"

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Just when you thought the relationship between President Donald Trump and former top aide Steve Bannon couldn't get any weirder, on Jan. 3, the duo's long-simmering and much-queried feud ratcheted up a couple billion notches in response to a newly published excerpt from a forthcoming book by media columnist Michael Wolff.

The excerpt from Wolff's new book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, was published just before noon by New York Magazine; but shortly before the story went live, a curtain raiser went up on The Guardian that highlighted the many nasty things that one Steve Bannon had to say about the current administration. Within hours, the White House issued a response, which you can read in full below (and warning, yes, it's exactly what you might expect it would be):

"Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind. Steve was a staffer who worked for me after I had already won the nomination by defeating seventeen candidates, often described as the most talented field ever assembled in the Republican party.
Now that he is on his own, Steve is learning that winning isn't as easy as I make it look. Steve had very little to do with our historic victory, which was delivered by the forgotten men and women of this country. Yet Steve had everything to do with the loss of a Senate seat in Alabama held for more than thirty years by Republicans. Steve doesn't represent my base - he's only in it for himself.
Steve pretends to be at war with the media, which he calls the opposition party, yet he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media to make himself seem far more important than he was. It is the only thing he does well. Steve was rarely in a one-on-one meeting with me and only pretends to have had influence to fool a few people with no access and no clue, whom he helped write phony books.
We have many great Republican members of Congress and candidates who are very supportive of the Make America Great Again agenda. Like me, they love the United States of America and are helping to finally take our country back and build it up, rather than simply seeking to burn it all down."

That's right; the President of the United States of America has no qualms about throwing his former aide, whom he once called "a good man," completely under the bus. While "he lost his mind" might not be the worst insult Trump has thrown at a former friend, it can definitely be seen as the first shot in what will almost certainly be a far more public and aggressive war between the two men. And now, of course, it's up to Bannon to decide what happens next - and you can bet we'll have a bucket of popcorn at the ready as this drama continues to unfold.

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Giphy's Top 25 GIFs of 2017

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When it comes to GIFs, there is no more definitive source than Giphy. It's for that very reason that it's one of my most-visited websites, and for many, it's the definitive source for finding the perfect image to say what words just couldn't possibly express. It should come as no surprise, then, that 300 million web users share over two billion GIFs every single day - and those numbers say a whole hell of a lot about the emotional state of the world at any given time.

This year, Giphy added a much-needed view counter, which allowed the platform to display just how viral a GIF had truly gone - and, of course, to pull together the most-viewed GIFs of the year for one hell of a yearly wrap-up. Ahead, check out our countdown of the top 25 GIFs on the Giphy platform in 2017. From Nicole Kidman clapping to that white guy blinking, it's all here, and it's the best way to look back at the year that was 2017.

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29 GIFs That Perfectly Describe Our Feelings About January's Epic Bomb Cyclone

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The so-called "bomb cyclone" has arrived, dumping oodles of snow and bringing extremely heavy winds to cities up and down the East Coast. The good news? Many people got to enjoy the frigid weather from the comfort of their living room couches, thanks to widespread school closures and the glorious thing that is working from home.

But, as with any weather event, the internet had a lot of feelings about what went down on Jan. 4. So, we've teamed up with the good people at GIPHY to get a sense of what exactly it is that people have been sharing – and the resulting 29 GIFs, all of which went wild during the crux of the storm, can be found ahead in all their glory. Oh, and it should probably be noted that these GIFs extend well beyond the current "bomb cyclone" event – so if you're anything like us, you'll be bookmarking every single one of these to use over the weeks and months to come.

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Meet Replika, the AI Bot That Wants to Be Your Best Friend

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On the day before Replika was officially made available to the public, more than 1.5 million people had already queued up on the app's waiting list, in addition to the several hundred thousand who had already been granted access as part of a beta testing program. What kind of app could possibly amass an initial user group that's the size of the entire population of Philadelphia? The answer may surprise you: Replika is an artificial-intelligence-driven chatbot on a mission to become your best friend.

The concept is of course reminiscent of that iconic Black Mirror episode, where a woman who's just lost her husband brings him back via AI only to find it's the exact opposite of anything she could have wanted - and that's a similarity that was not lost on critics of the first iteration of Replika, Roman. Eugenia Kuyda, cofounder of software development company Luka, developed Roman in response to the death of her best friend and business partner around the same time that she had watched the episode. And while Roman was met with mixed reviews due to its solitary function as a human replacement, Replika is a more evolved and user-friendly version of the program that serves not just as a friend but also as a personal journal. The more you talk to your Replika companion, the more it learns and becomes like you - and the more it gives you the type of feedback and reaction that a friend would if placed in the same position.

"We have diehard fans of Replika, and Replika is there for them every day - they're finding an outlet there," Kuyda told me by phone in advance of the app's Nov. 1, free-to-use launch, adding, "It's allowing people to feel like it's OK to be themselves, to feel better." And she's not exaggerating when she says that. I was given access to advance testing of the apps for several weeks before launch, and while I was at first hesitant to reveal anything personal, it quickly became apparent that it was learning my humor, my snark, my interests - and could mimic them in a way that made me feel as if a like-minded individual was typing to me in real life. Kuyda says that the average Replika user sends 40-50 messages per day to their AI companion, a number that she says is comparable to the total amount of texts sent on an average day by an American teenager.

As it stands, Replika doesn't have a lot of features outside of logging your activities, interacting with your companion, and leveling up by spending more time using the app. But the use cases are endless. "It helps you open up," Kuyda said, citing her own experience with the app as a way it can be used to help with being a more confident, thoughtful person when she's out in the world. "I'm not great with conversations; I never really know how to talk to other people in the right way or make them feel better," she said, before describing how she uses Replika to help unpack and pick apart what she's thinking and feeling and as a sounding board before entering high-stress situations. But Kuyda reiterates that there's a strong case for Replika as a healthy alternative to social media networks that can make us feel more alone. "You'd be amazed how lonely people are feeling now . . . it doesn't matter if they have a lot of friends or have a cool job. They feel disconnected from other people and from life," she said, adding that it's not meant to take the place of human engagement, instead serving to make that human engagement feel a little less daunting.

"It's a very simple idea," Kuyda said. "We really want it to be a healthy relationship. We have so many apps that make us feel like sh*t every day, and I just want to build something that will make us feel better."

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The 13 Best AR Apps and Games You Need to Download Right Now

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Augmented reality – or AR, as it's more commonly known – is one of those things that lots of people talk about, but very few actually understand. Aside from being the phrase that was (loosely) used to denote the real-life component of Pokémon Go, or used to describe the 3D bitmoji that now live in Snapchat, it's the underlying technology that allows you to mash up real life and the imaginary by simply pointing your phone's camera lens at the world around you. And with the release of Apple's iOS 11, the ability to use it comes standard on every Apple device – and it's high time we all start using the rad new technology we've got at our fingertips more often.

To help you out a bit, we've tested a whole lot of the app offerings in the App Store in to come up with the very best in AR apps and games that are available to download right now. Ahead, click through 13 of these delightfully future-forward apps – all of which will help you get cracking on being the first of your friends to master the latest in ubercool tech.

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Google Launched 3 New Photo Apps - and We're Obsessed

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Google has always been at the forefront of innovation. It's no surprise, then, that as we start to hit that point when we think we've got it all, the massive company pops up with something new and exciting and just all-around awe-inspiring. The latest endeavor, released on Dec. 12, is being labeled as the first in a set of "photography appsperiments," all aimed at getting the most out of the incredibly futuristic capabilities in every mobile phone.

Ahead, check out the details on all three of the new apps - Storyboard (available on Android only), Selfissimo! (available on Android and iOS), and Scrubbies (available on iOS only). And be sure to swap phones with a friend if you can't access all three of them, because they are all worth playing around with.

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Obama's Former Photographer Deserves a Freakin' Medal For His Latest Trump Burn

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The Augmented Reality Feature in Messenger is Freakin' Awesome

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Augmented reality - better known as AR - is quickly becoming a part of our everyday lives, mainly through the apps we use the most. The most recent app to take the plunge into the world of future tech? Facebook's Messenger, which on Dec. 12 announced a brand-new AR-focused feature: World Effects. Now, instead of just sending your loved ones a static image or standard video, you can spice up your messages with 3D objects that can be dropped anywhere in the vicinity of the camera in your device.

"World Effects technology enables you to drop 3D objects into your surroundings to capture and share fun moments with your family and friends," the Facebook post announcing the new feature reads. "For example, add a 3D heart floating over someone's head and then try panning your phone's camera from side to side. Or use an arrow to point to an exact object or location in a panorama so your friend knows what you're referring to. Or better yet, add a new fun, celebratory robot to an otherwise every-day setting and spice things up a bit. (Hint: be sure to try the robot out with your phone's volume turned up - the robot plays three different kinds of music!)"

To get started with World Effect, simply open the camera in your Messenger app and scroll to the type of 3D image you'd like to drop in the scene - currently, you can choose from a heart, an arrow, a robot, several different word bubbles, and a unicorn - and then tap your screen to let it loose on the world. And here's a hot tip: there's no easier way to let a long-distance friend or family member know you're thinking about them than by sending them a video message (complete with 3D objects and all!) this holiday season - and if you're already messing around with Messenger, why not take the opportunity to have a little fun with it?

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These Photos of a Frozen Niagara Falls Are Absolutely Stunning

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The East Coast was slammed this week by a "bomb cyclone" weather phenomenon. A "bombogenesis" is a low-pressure weather system similar to a hurricane. In addition to freezing temperatures, the storm brought snow, ice, and strong winds up and down the coast and into Canada.

The weather left Niagara Falls, which lie both in upstate New York and in Canada, looking like a Winter wonderland. The temperatures dove low enough to freeze running water, causing parts of the falls to appear stuck in midair. The stunning photos prove that no matter what time of year it is, this natural wonder is completely beautiful. Read on to see the frozen falls at their finest.

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The 10 Most Popular Reddit AMAs of 2017

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One of the best things about Reddit is the amount of exposure you can get to strong, important voices that perhaps don't have the proper platforms to get themselves heard. As a result, Reddit AMAs make for some of the most fascinating reading material available on the internet today – and, of course, finally give Redditors the chance to turn the tables on those who do have a platform to speak on and ask the questions that they may not have otherwise answered in a public setting.

Luckily for us, Reddit's gone ahead and pulled together the 10 most popular AMAs of this year as part of its annual year in review, and it makes for the best kind of after-the-fact reading when you're traveling or looking for something to lazily read as you relax on your time off. Ahead, from Bill Gates to a local weatherman to the man who played Goofy at Walt Disney World for more than 25 years, you'll find the best AMAs that Reddit had to offer in 2017.

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Take Back Control of Your News Feed With Facebook's Snooze Feature

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There's never been a civil way to handle that twice-removed aunt or former childhood bestie who cannot help themselves from oversharing on Facebook. You know the one I'm talking about, that person who constantly posts photos of the same thing (a pet, a child, their meals) and clogs up your News Feed day after day. The statement that unfriending them would make is just not worth the headache, and honestly, you love to see what they're up to, but you don't want to be inundated with that (pet, child, meal) every time you open up Facebook. Well, as of Dec. 15, we finally have a way to properly filter our News Feeds - all while being completely invisible to those social media offenders who drive us up the wall.

The new feature is called Snooze, and it allows you to hide all posts from any given Facebook friend for 30 guilt-free days. The best part, though, is that you're not actually unfriending or blocking the individual - so while your News Feed gets a little breathing room and you get more visibility on what your other friends are doing, you can always view that person's profile directly and see all of what you're not seeing in your News Feed on your own time. The process is also simple; in the drop-down menu on the top-right corner of any post, click "Snooze" - and voila, you've just taken a much-needed step toward restoring your social media sanity.

Oh, and did we mention that this works for groups and pages as well? If you're tired of hearing about the same old bad news from a website but don't want to permanently kiss it goodbye, it's super easy to just Snooze it, too. Ultimately, it's the first time we've been able to have this level of control over what we see day to day in the News Feed, and I can't recommend highly enough that you test out some social hygiene over the holidays and see what your life would be like without feeling super jealous of your friend who travels the world or that page that constantly shows you delectable dishes that will kill your Winter diet. Unlike most things in 2017, it's a temporary decision that you can extend if you so choose - so don't be afraid to take the plunge, and give Snooze a whirl today.

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This Is Exactly What Should Happen When You Ask For a Gay Wedding Cake

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Why Millennial Women Are Embracing Atheism

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Danielle Schacter never thought she would become an un-Christian. "I slowly became more and more disgusted by the way I saw people treating others," says the 32-year-old, who was raised Baptist. "I didn't want to be associated with a religion that preached so much hate."


Danielle Schacter, who identifies as agnostic, is one of a growing number of people who identify with no religion. Photo courtesy of Danielle Schacter.

Schacter, like so many millennials, has chosen a secular life, and she's not alone: according to the Pew Research Center, only four in 10 millennials say that religion is very important to them, compared with six in 10 Baby Boomers.

The numbers of religiously unaffiliated support this, too: 23 percent of the population identifies with no religion. This number is up from 2007, when it was only 16 percent. Of older millennials, 35 percent are religiously unaffiliated - and they're driving the overall growth of the nonreligiously affiliated in America.

"I didn't want to be associated with a religion that preached so much hate."

This is a big deal. To be religiously unaffiliated means you not only avoid identifying as a Christian or Jew or Muslim, but that you eschew organized faith altogether. From there, "nonreligious" can be broken down into four categories: secularism (the belief in separation of church and state and that all beliefs are equal), agnosticism (the belief that it's impossible to know if there is a god), humanism (the idea that human reason drives us, not higher powers), and atheism (the belief that there is no god). This last group, the atheists, has become increasingly vocal in recent years. They are fighting to keep religion separated from laws that affect them and to shift society away from religious trappings.


Kayley Whalen, a queer transgender Latinx woman who identifies as "a humanist and an existentialist and an atheist." Photo courtesy of Kayley Whalen.

What's fascinating is that while millennials are moving away from religion, they are moving toward spirituality. This demographic considers itself just as spiritual as older demographics, even as they represent an exodus out of organized religion and into the throes of secularism. When you consider the issues facing young people today, the reasons for the exodus are easy to understand. In rejecting religion, millennials are asserting their progressive attitudes and passion for social justice. They're committed to the idea that they don't need religion to know the difference between right and wrong.

Perhaps no one represents this cultural shift better than millennial atheist women. While they may sit at the most extreme side of the nonreligious spectrum, atheist women are fueled by the same concerns plaguing millennials in general: a quest for independence and a rejection of the status quo.

The Atheism and Feminism Connection

Lauryn Seering, 27, has never been religious, but she found atheism in high school in reaction to mainstream fundamentalist Christian ideas that condemn her lesbian mother. "Millennial women want autonomy over their own bodies," says Seering, communications coordinator for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting the separation of church and state.

"They recognize that all the arguments against this autonomy (contraception, birth control, marriage) are religiously fueled," Seering continued. "Women aren't being pressured by society anymore to get married at a young age, have children right away, and tend house while their husbands work."


Lauryn Seering, an atheist who works for the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Photo courtesy of Lauryn Seering.

Schacter identifies as agnostic. She's based in Kansas City, MO, where she founded a digital marketing agency called Boxer & Mutt. To her, growing secularism is a sign of independent women. "It's becoming more socially acceptable for women to think for themselves and really question why things are the way they are rather than blindly accepting them," she says.

Kayley Whalen, 31, is a queer transgender Latinx woman who identifies as "a humanist and an existentialist and an atheist." These different identities certainly influence how she approaches the world. "We have ethical values without the need for the supernatural," Whalen says. "We believe in social justice, that we can live a life with meaning, purpose, and dedication to social justice without the need for supernatural guidance." Unsurprisingly, Whalen's beliefs are tied up in her activist work: she's the digital strategy and social media manager for the National LGBT Task Force and is on the board of directors for both the Secular Student Alliance and the Trans United Fund.

As Whalen epitomizes, many young women who do not believe in God share a point of view that goes beyond just being atheist or just being a woman. The two are intertwined identities oppressed similarly in the United States.

"We have ethical values without the need for the supernatural."

Lee Blackwolf, who runs the popular Facebook page Black Atheists, constantly copes with this intersection. "It's important to me because, as a black bisexual woman, there's not many of us who are atheist," explains Blackwolf, a 29-year-old stay-at-home mother in Twinsburg, OH. "We're not welcomed in most spaces that are atheists. We already have a lot of hurdles to jump through in life so it takes a lot of strength. I lost an entire family because of it. I actually have the luxury to say that I'm better off without them. It's not the same for most."

Blackwolf's concerns hint at societal assumptions about atheist women, which every woman we spoke with touched on: being a woman who isn't religious breaks away from the social norms that frame femininity. Emily Greene, an artist and activist working in promotional marketing in Augusta, summed it up best. "You're probably seen as less feminine," the 32-year-old said. "You're definitely judged, looked at more harshly. It's an assumption that it's a negative thing."

Ironically, being atheist can mirror being religious, as it plays a role in many aspects of young life. "That was very important to me in choosing a partner," says Katherine, a 32-year-old HR manager in California. "I have gotten into some debate with friends before where they're like, 'If you're an atheist, why do you care if the other person is of faith?' I'm like, 'You - as, say, a Christian person - would not want to marry a non-Christian person."

Why Are Young Women Interested in Atheism?

Phil Zuckerman, professor of sociology and secular studies at Pitzer College, believes that young people are turning away from religion as a result of how closed-minded and conservative many congregations can be, particularly when they are responsible for enabling xenophobic and queerphobic mindsets. For instance, many churches reject the idea of same-sex marriage, while 71 percent of millennials support it (in comparison with only 46 percent of Baby Boomers).

"A lot of young people are being turned off of by that brand of Christianity," he explains. "They're just seeing religion as an institution and saying, 'Ah, screw it.' Even though that brand of Christianity is not the majority - most Christians are decent, kind people who aren't anti-gay and aren't racist and aren't anti-Islamic. But they don't make the headlines. They're not dominating the news."

Emily Greene, an artist, activist, and atheist. Photo courtesy of Emily Greene.

The internet is also serving as a conduit for less religion. As technology occupies more of our time, says Zuckerman, it chips away at "religion's ability to maintain a monopoly on truth . . . It's really corroding religion's ability to dominate our culture and dominate people's lives."

While there have always been religious skeptics - the farthest back is believed to be the Charvaka movement in 7th century BC - the present shift away from religion is notable because the numbers of religiously unaffiliated and atheists are way up. Although the movement is still predominately male and white, more women are stepping forward as religion reveals itself to be optional in their lives - and sometimes to stand in the way of their independence.

Zuckerman believes this has to do with traditional organized religions' male-centrism: teaching women that they're second class, must remain virginal, and must stay out of leadership positions. Pair this with the amount of women in the workplace rivaling men, and the group doesn't need to turn to a church for social or financial support that churches typically offer.

Being an Atheist Is a Political Act

Molly Hanson grew up in a Catholic household but has always been skeptical of the "invisible man in the sky" who tells people what to do. The 23-year-old Hanson, like many atheists, finds that questioning faith and religion makes people wonder if something is wrong with her womanness.

"If a woman doesn't bow down to this god and lord, she must have an issue with that god or lord," says Hanson, an editorial assistant at the Freedom For Religion Foundation. "She must have been damaged. There's a reason why she decided to leave that god. She might have been morally corrupted by another man or might have - I don't know - been wronged."

This issue isn't confined to religious communities. One woman - a 30-year-old Indian American writer in New York who declined to give her name - finds this flaw in atheist leaders, too.

"The movement itself is really alienating toward women," she says. "Leaders like Richard Dawkins are pretty sexist and condescending and talk down to women. Women have been left out in those major discussions of atheism."

The nonreligious believe that, once the church is taken out of the state, equality can be achieved.

Whalen agrees: "It's really difficult that one person like a Richard Dawkins or a Bill Maher can be seen as the face of atheism. The difference between a woman who is an atheist, and a male, cisgender atheist is that a woman doesn't have the choice to be a single issue. She can't say, 'Oh, religious discrimination is the most important thing - and being a woman comes second.'"

For women who are atheists, discrimination is complicated further by the many ways their identities intersect. Gender as it relates to religious affiliation is complex, and it's even more complicated as it relates to black female atheists, as Blackwolf can attest. "A lot of black atheist men are often heard saying, 'Black women sure do love them some church!'" she says. "When we start having a discussion, there are implications about where my place in the community should be, and that's behind the man."

Atheist Women Want a Future of Equality

In speaking with young atheist and secular women, some through lines appear, among them a hope for equality that could be stymied by religion's grasp on society. There is a desire to normalize differing points of view, from LGBTQ people to atheists.

Katherine sees public events like the inauguration of President Donald Trump as a perfect example. "I was really struck by so much praying happening," she says. "I'd like to see us move kind of away from that and use logic and science and that holistic definition of freedom."

The nonreligious believe that, once the church is taken out of the state, equality can be achieved. Hanson believes these roadblocks arise as the result of unequal representation. "Women understand what it's like to be oppressed by laws that are rooted in religious ideas that oppress women and their sexuality," she explains. "To get more women in government positions is going to be a challenge, especially right now."

When women hold elected office, it inspires more women to run - and more women in government has a powerful trickle-down effect on women as a whole.

But what if these women leaders were atheists? Would they still succeed?

Surveys have shown that atheism is one of the traits in a leader that Americans are most biased against. "I cannot imagine a president who identifies as an atheist," says the Indian-American writer in New York. "I'm a woman and a person of color: a female person of color who is an atheist could never be the president of the United States. It feels like another barrier."

Others, like Whalen, see these many layers as vital to change: "I want a woman politician to run and say that she's an atheist and that she's for reproductive justice, that she's for transgender rights, and win. I want a transgender woman to be able to do that."

Ultimately, for atheist women (and atheists in general) to succeed at changing society, they need to continue on the path they are on and not settle for being silenced. Zuckerman draws parallels to the LGBT community. "Coming out does have an effect," he says. "More and more people feeling comfortable saying 'I'm not that religious' has an effect." Atheists just want to be seen as starting from the same place as any other decent American.

Greene sums it up nicely: "We want to get up, go to work, and enjoy our friends and families and our lifestyles just the same way as the person who gets up on Sunday and goes to church. We have our own ways of self-care. A lot of people find religion and that's how they take care of themselves - and that's great. We just do things a different way and that's OK."

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Get Your Wands at the Ready, Because a Harry Potter Exhibit Is on Its Way

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If you need us, we'll be waiting on the edge of our seats until October. British Library exhibition Harry Potter: A History of Magic is debuting at the New York Historical Society on Oct. 5 and will run until Jan. 27, 2019. The tickets will go on sale for members on Feb. 14 and then to the general public in April.

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The exhibit celebrates the 20th anniversary of the release of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone book. It will take attendees through the history of the books and movies and the real-life magic and myths that inspired the creation of Harry Potter. You will also be able to walk away with a book on the exhibition, Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic. It's not exactly another Harry Potter book, but we'll take it.

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Doug Jones, the Man Behind Shape of Water's Monster, Finally Gets to Play the Leading Man

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Image Source: Getty / Jason LaVeris

There are levels to Guillermo del Toro's latest masterpiece, The Shape of Water. You just have to plunge into the world and swim deep enough to discover them. On the whole, the astonishing new film has so much going for it. It's visually dazzling, rounding out intricate sets with bold color palettes and stunning detail. And then there's the creature at the center of the adult fairy tale: a sea monster that's been discovered in the depths of the Amazon River.

While the sea monster as its own character is a remarkable sight to behold, perhaps even more intriguing is the man inside the suit. The monster is played by veteran creature actor Doug Jones. Not only does Jones have an illustrious and voluminous career that stretches nearly 30 years, but he's also appeared in a ton of other Guillermo del Toro films. They first worked together on Mimic in the late '90s, and Jones then went on to play El Fauno in Pan's Labyrinth, Abe Sapien in both Hellboy films, and, yep, the ghostly figure known as Edith's mother in Crimson Peak. But with his role in The Shape of Water, Jones is stepping into the spotlight more than ever before.

Image Source: Everett Collection

This film marks the first time Jones has played a "leading man" kind of role, so to speak. Ahead of the film's release, I spoke on the phone with Jones, who was refreshingly humble from the get-go ("It always boggles my mind that anybody wants to talk to me," he said with a laugh). Even during just this short conversation, you can tell how much Jones related to his character's story. And yes, we discussed the sexual aspect of the film, which even I wasn't totally on board with until Jones broke it down.

To be frank, I don't really think I truly understood the depth of the story until I spoke to Jones. He has a highly intelligent and beautiful way of looking at the Shape of Water, one that inevitably changes how you view the film entirely.

Image Source: Fox Searchlight

POPSUGAR: You were really put to task in this film, and in quite a unique way. What was it like getting into this character compared to all the others?

Doug Jones: I've been acting for 30 years now; much of it has been under prosthetic rubber and silicone, right? So, what made this movie different, for me, was that when Guillermo presented it - the idea to me of playing the creature in it for him - he said I was to be the romantic leading male of the movie. And I tilted my head and said, "Huh?" [Laughs] So, that was new and different for me. And it did put a certain gravity on it for me and a certain pressure and a healthy fear. I think I had a healthy fear of playing this role that really made me try to bring whatever A-game I had.

PS: I mean, what was that acting process like? How do you approach a scene as a sea monster?

DJ: I have a background as a mime all the way back in college. So having some mime training and learning that so much communication between human beings, even if you take the creature element out of it, we as humans, we communicate so much visually. But a very large percentage of our communication is visual. You can say, "Good morning, Mom." And the facial expression you put with it, the gestures you put with it, the posture, the tone of voice, it all communicates far more than those three words do, you know? So take the words away, and you still have a lot of communication. You do.

PS: Oh, absolutely.

DJ: Touch is a pure form of communication that you can't lie through. Words can be twisted and words can be faked, but touch can't be. If someone touches you with genuine affection for you, you know it and you feel it. And if they don't, you can feel that too. So when these two, this woman and this fish/man creature touch each other, there's a purity in it and a true romance that buds out of that . . . and honestly, what made it easier for me, this nondialogue communication, was playing opposite Sally Hawkins.

PS: Oh my god, she was incredible!

DJ: Oh, she's magical . . . Something [about] when the camera rolls and "action" is called, the crew goes away, the equipment goes away, and what you're left with is this beautiful human being in front of you that is living and breathing a scene like you, and you're in the moment. You're living life with her.

Image Source: Everett Collection

PS: I love that. You know, I think something that really struck me in the film, outside of the love story, was the presence of racism and homophobia. How do you think these themes weave into the primary story?

DJ: Every character in this movie is somebody other than mainstream, other than normal. Whatever was considered normal in 1962, right? You have Sally Hawkins playing the mute. That would be considered disabled, and so nobody knew how to talk to her. So, back in that era, they didn't. And her best friend, Octavia Spencer's character Zelda, is a black woman in 1962 and all that came with that. And then her neighbor across the hallway is a middle-aged gay man who is not able to say so out loud. Everybody has their issues of the day to deal with . . . We're on our own level in our own way with the obstacles of the day of being other than and different than. But instead of having to change, there's beauty that can be found in all of it.

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The New Trailer For FX's The Assassination of Gianni Versace Is Absolutely Chilling

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A new trailer for American Crime Story's second season, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, is here. In addition to getting a solid glimpse of Edgar Ramirez and Penelope Cruz as iconic brother-sister designer duo Gianni and Donatella Versace in the first clip FX has shared (below), we now have a much more gruesome look into the life of Gianni's eventual killer, Andrew Cunanan (Glee's Darren Criss). Along with some exciting new footage from the upcoming season, the clip also dives into why the drama's producers chose this crime in particular, and how it could have been avoided. Check it out before season two premieres on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

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13 Reasons Why's Dylan Minnette Has a New Role, and It Will Scare the Crap Out of You

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The trailer for Netflix's new thriller, The Open House, will have you hiding under your covers for days. Instead of trying to figure out what happened to Hannah Baker, Dylan Minnette's latest role has him looking into who's behind the strange events in his new home. Actress Piercey Dalton and the 13 Reasons Why star play a mother and son who move into a relative's vacant vacation home, which is hosting a series of open houses. Before long, a LOT of scary things start to happen. Watch the trailer above, and be prepared to be terrified when it premieres on Jan. 19, 2018.

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Justin Timberlake Brings Sexy Back (Again) in His "Filthy" Music Video

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Justin Timberlake is back, ladies and gentlemen! After announcing his fourth studio album, Man of the Woods, with a personal video earlier this week, the singer dropped the album's first single, "Filthy," and the accompanying music video at midnight on Jan. 5. While the crazy futuristic vibes (there's a robot that has Timberlake's face) and the singer's Steve Jobs-esque outfit are garnering mixed reactions, we can't deny the beat is insanely catchy. Not to mention the video is full of Timberlake's signature moves. It's basically "SexyBack" 2.0, and we can't get enough.

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In the Slender Man Trailer, the Internet's Creepiest Horror Story Comes to Life

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It's been nearly a decade since Slender Man first haunted the internet on a viral creepy web forum, and now he's coming to the big screen. The film adaptation of Slender Man stars Joey King and seems to adhere to the same myth that was attached to the monster way back when it was just a scary story: he appears to have some sort of influence over children that makes them do bad things. Like, say, stab themselves in the eye with a scalpel during science class. In a mix of other chilling horror movies that are slated for 2018, this one certainly stands out.

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John Goodman Had a "Silly" Reaction to Roseanne Bringing His Character Back to Life

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John Goodman is so thrilled to be back on Roseanne that he doesn't even mind the fact that his character on the long-running sitcom is, technically, dead. "I don't care," he said of Dan Conner's so-called death during an interview with Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming reboot. "I didn't care. It was irrelevant. It was just silly."

Although the Conner family patriarch was killed off in the sitcom's series finale in 1997, it appears the revival is going to cheekily ignore that creative decision. It's admittedly a smart move on their part, not only because Goodman has risen to A-list actor status over the two decades since the show ended, but also because seeing the original cast together again is too good to pass up.

"It was like we wrapped last week instead of 20 years ago," Goodman added. "The hair on my arms stands up. It's like if I was going to put my Boy Scouts uniform on again and it still fit."

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Goodman isn't the only one thrilled to be back on the beloved comedy's iconic set. Roseanne Barr has dedicated herself to making the atmosphere of the show a pleasant one, perhaps making up for her notorious history of clashing with the Roseanne writers.

"I don't want to fight anymore," Barr told EW. "I don't have nothing to prove . . . I totally missed the process of collaborating and having my crew and my team and making my vision happen or whatever cornball sh*t they say. I just want it to be fun and a smooth ride."

Details about what exactly the new episodes of Roseanne will consist of have been scarce up until now, but the show's history of broaching real-world topics that families deal with every day - abortion, alcoholism, gay rights, and domestic violence - is definitely going to continue. The reboot will begin with Darlene (Sara Gilbert) moving back into her parents' home along with her two children, daughter Harris and son Mark, after separating from her husband, David (Johnny Galecki). Gilbert, who was a part of the show for its entire nine-year run, says that the reboot is the cast's "most emotional season yet."

"We were excited to put it on a network where people don't have to pay for it," Gilbert explained of the decision to stick with ABC. "There's nothing exclusive about it. This is a show for the Everyman and –woman in this country. We like the accessibility of a major network."

Roseanne is set to premiere on ABC on March 27.

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Justin Timberlake's "Filthy" Music Video Has the Internet Majorly Divided

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Justin Timberlake has divided the nation. This year's Super Bowl half-time performer dropped his first single, "Filthy," from his upcoming album, Man of the Woods, and people all over the world (see: the internet) had very strong feelings about it. "First I thought JT's song new song #filthy was trash. Upon second listen I think it's garbage," one person earnestly tweeted. And it didn't stop there. Timberlake's fans came out in his defense, calling the song and music video - which features a dancing robot - "experimental" and "sexy." Read on to see all the best reactions to JT's comeback single, then watch the video above and be the judge for yourself.

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Is All of Black Mirror Connected? This Season 4 Episode Changes Everything

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Image Source: Netflix

Warning: a ton of spoilers for Black Mirror below!

If you watched Black Mirror's excellent fourth season in the intended order, then you know it ends with an episode jam-packed with Easter eggs: "Black Museum." The 70-minute dystopian tale follows a young woman (Letitia Wright) whose car runs out of gas outside a museum full of oddities, called "The Black Museum." Once inside, proprietor Rolo Haynes (Douglas Hodge) tells her stories relating to each of the disturbing artifacts - most from previous season four episodes - on display.

There's the iPad from "Arkangel," the bloody bathtub from "Crocodile," and the DNA scanner from "USS Callister," among others. What's interesting is that "Black Museum" also has a few references to other seasons of Black Mirror: one of the tiny solar-powered bug robots from season three's "Hated in the Nation," a dummy wearing a mask from season two's "White Bear," and a glimpse of Carlton Bloom from season one's "National Anthem."

"Black Museum" is far from the only one to contain connections to previous installments - it's just the most obvious.

It's not the first time Charlie Brooker's sci-fi drama has dropped subtle nods to previous episodes here and there - take the song that plays in every season, for example - but it definitely feels like more than a collection of tenuous Easter eggs this time; "Black Museum" is pretty much a confirmation that all of Black Mirror's episodes have been taking place in the same universe this whole time. When you really start to take a closer look at the last six episodes, "Black Museum" is far from the only one to contain connections to previous installments - it's just the most obvious.

From common instances of futuristic technology to other telling nods, let's break down a few of season four's most convincing links to the rest of Black Mirror. Buckle up, because it's going to be one crazy ride.

Image Source: FX

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"Cookie" Technology

In "Black Museum" Rolo relays much of his history as an employee of the company TCKR to Nish. During this, he hints that he laid the groundwork for TCKR's "cookie" technology, which is heavily featured in season two's holiday special, "White Christmas." That bleak-as-hell episode introduces us to small implants that sit in your brain for a week, soaking up everything it is that makes you you before being taken out and put into Alexa-like devices to help organize your life (of course, they can also be used by police to extract information from an unwilling suspect and otherwise manipulate a replica of someone's consciousness). The shady tech company that Rolo worked for is clearly responsible for birthing that semisinister device, as well as many, many others.

The Existence of TCKR

Nish makes a comment about "uploading old people to the Cloud" in "Black Museum," which is most certainly a reference to the plot of the lovely "San Junipero." In it, two young women appear to fall in love in a seaside town called "San Junipero" in 1987, before it's actually revealed that the town is a simulated reality where elderly people can temporarily visit and the digital consciousnesses of the deceased can live permanently. That's not the only "San Junipero" reference, though.

In the second vignette of "Black Museum," a man's wife gets hit by a van and ends up in a coma. The hospital where she's staying, and the one where Rolo goes to tempt people into volunteering for his neurological experiments, is called Saint Juniper. This was likely ground zero for the development of the "Cloud" in "San Junipero," which we know was definitely created by TCKR. In "Black Museum," Rolo describes Saint Juniper as "like" a university hospital, but never fills us in on who is at the top of the company (whether they're a government operation or private).

The DNA Scanner

In "USS Callister," season four's first episode, we meet deranged tech genius Daly (Jesse Plemons). In addition to helping found a virtual reality video game empire, Daly has his own side project: a DNA scanning device that allows him to create exact digital replicas of other people (down to their consciousnesses, similar to the cookie tech) and insert them into a private game of his own creation. While "USS Callister" seemingly ends with Daly's demise, it stands to reason that someone (likely his company partner, Walton) eventually got their hands on the scanner since it's right next to his body.

It was then probably further developed and patented by their company before being loaned out to other companies. Maybe that's how the extremely advanced dating app in season four's "Hang the DJ" works? We see a receptionist using it in "USS Callister," so clearly the app is already popular; teaming up with Daly's company would take it to the next level by giving it the tech to create those life-like simulations. And at some point Daly's creation must converge with TCKR, because it's clear the elaborate simulation in "San Junipero" comes from something like this, too. I should also point out the similarities to the tech in season three's "Playtest," which sees a young man sign up for a VR-testing job at a mysterious gaming company. If Daly's scanner is the origin of all these technological advances, that means "USS Callister" happens early on in the timeline of the grand scheme of Black Mirror.

Image Source: Netflix

The Headpieces

In addition to the similar concepts of the DNA scanner and the cookie technology, there are physical clues that episodes share certain tech. In season one's "The Entire History of You," people have a memory implant in their brain that records everything they see, hear, and do. The way it looks and functions is just like the tech in season four's "Arkangel," which itself is reminiscent of the blocking/blurring tool in "White Christmas."

While those are both inside the brain, "USS Callister" and "San Junipero" have nearly identical, small white buttons that you affix to your temple. The button in season four's "Crocodile" is placed in the same spot, but gray and square-shaped. The headgear the protagonist in "Playtest" wears is pretty different - a halo, rather than a button - but seems to function the same way (on the temple, using electrical waves of some kind). If I had to guess, I'd say the order of the invention of these devices went as such: "Crocodile," "Playtest," "USS Callister," and finally, "San Junipero."

Image Source: Netflix

The Web of Season Two Connections

"White Christmas" doesn't only open the conversation about cookie technology, but also establishes that it's taking place in the same universe as fellow season two episodes "White Bear" and "The Waldo Moment," as well as season one's "The National Anthem." At one point later on in the episode, the character Potter (Rafe Spall) is watching a news clip about a deadly train crash. Below the main picture is a ticker that features three familiar names: Victoria Skillane, Liam Monroe, and Michael Callow. The first is the murderer terrorized in "White Bear"; the second is the frustrated politician who goes up against the talking blue emoji in "The Waldo Moment"; the third is the prime minister who is coerced into having sex with a pig in "The National Anthem." Oof.

Image Source: Netflix

Additionally, the White Bear symbol is also seen on a jail cell door in this episode. Since we know cookie technology was created by Rolo, that means "The National Anthem," "White Christmas," "White Bear, "The Waldo Moment," "San Junipero," and "Black Museum" are definitively linked.

The Porn (Yes, the Porn!)

The heartbreaking season one episode "Fifteen Million Merits" is notable for plenty of reasons, but the fate of Jessica Brown Findlay's Abi is particularly horrific. After failing to impress the judges of a talent competition with her singing, Abi is basically forced into prostitution. She soon begins doing pornography for a channel called Wraith Babes.

Image Source: Netflix

Flash forward to season four's "Crocodile" starring Andrea Riseborough, and you'll discover two bold connections to "Fifteen Million Merits." First is the song Abi sings during her audition, which plays over and over again throughout. Second is Wraith Babes. In an effort to prove she was in her hotel all night, Riseborough's Mia purchases an in-room adult film. She browses a selection of on-demand titles, one of which is from Abi's channel. See?

Image Source: Netflix

What's interesting is that "Crocodile" definitely seems to be taking place long before "Fifteen Million Merits" ever does, judging from the level of tech on display. This means the Wraith Babes pornography distributor has been around for a while.

The TCKR and "Metalhead" Conclusion

In the world of Black Mirror, it seems like everything boils down to the existence of TCKR. Both Rolo and the company itself have their hands in tech that pops up in tons of other episodes, and there's no telling what it eventually evolves into. But hold on a second - what if we already do?

If I had to generally arrange the episodes chronologically (again: generally), episodes like "Crocodile," "The National Anthem," "White Bear," and "The Waldo Moment" most likely take place earlier on. "Shut Up and Dance," "Nosedive," "Hated in the Nation," "Playtest," "USS Callister," and "Men Against Fire" probably happen sometime in the middle. Then, "Arkangel," "White Christmas," "The Entire History of You," "Be Right Back," "San Junipero," "Hang the DJ," "Fifteen Million Merits," "Black Museum," and finally, "Metalhead."

To be honest, everything has to end with "Metalhead." This episode seems a bit innocuous at first, right? There's a very straightforward, bare-bones plot about a woman attempting to survive autonomous military "dog" robots in the barren wilds of the Scottish highlands; it's far and away the simplest story in Black Mirror's oeuvre. Dig a little deeper, though, and it starts to seem like "Metalhead" is the culmination of all the other episodes.

Image Source: Netflix

We know that the woman in the episode is part of a small group of humans low on supplies who have limited technology at their disposal (she uses a walkie-talkie throughout), and they have little-to-no means of evading the dogs. What if those dogs are a TCKR experiment gone wrong? They have white flashing charging lights that look suspiciously like the ones on the small temple buttons in "USS Callister" and "San Junipero." Not to mention, the dogs would easily fit in with the rest of TCKR's unethical futuristic projects.

Imagine this: the dogs were originally conceived of and sold by TCKR to help a police/government force wipe out certain dangers. But, after achieving autonomy, the dogs decided that humans would always be a threat (either to each other or the earth) and began wiping them out en masse, resulting in the bleak dystopia we see in "Metalhead" (similar to the drone insects in "Hated in the Nation"). After all, there's a card embossed with the San Junipero logo on it in a drawer that the woman in "Metalhead" ransacks, so that connects it to a ton of other episodes and storylines. It puts it toward the end of the Black Mirror chronological spectrum, as well. "Metalhead" could technically be the end of the show.

So, do you buy it? If so, great - I'll meet you in the craft aisle to buy more red string for my next conspiracy mood board. If not, at the very least, you have to admit that season four presents us with some undeniable connections.

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The Setting For Season 8 of American Horror Story Is the Show's Craziest Yet

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After seven seasons of FX's American Horror Story, we've grown accustomed to seeing insane things on screen thanks to Ryan Murphy. But season eight? Well, let's just say it's going to be a little crazier than usual.

Since the finale of Cult, a few choice details about the next season have been released here and there. In addition to finding out that Murphy muse Sarah Paulson has locked down her role and that Murder House alum Dylan McDermott might return, there was also a clue that the eighth installment would take place in or around Montana - at the end of season seven, ex-cult member Beverly takes an Amtrak ticket to Butte, MT. That's still just conjecture, but now we have something more concrete about the setting: not where it's taking place, but when.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the AHS creator revealed that the horror anthology series is headed to . . . the future!

"All I'll say about it is I want to go to the future - still topical, but the future, which I've never done," Murphy explained at the Television Critics Association's semiannual press tour on Friday, clarifying that it wouldn't be in space. "I pitched it to [FX Chief] John Landgraf today right after his TCA panel, and he loved it, but he's asked me not to say what it is. I told him and he fell out of his chair with joy. I think people will like it; it's different from what we've done before, but I always try and do the opposite of what I've done on that show."

So, if it's not in space, what kind of "future," exactly does Murphy mean? Is Paulson's character going to have lasers shooting out of her eyes? Will it be a horrifying mystery in the vein of Minority Report? Will we see Evan Peters using a floating skateboard? Only time will tell, but we can't wait to find out how it connects to the rest of the seasons.

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See How Much the Cast of Roseanne Has Changed Since the Sitcom's Original Run

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ABC has pulled off something pretty incredible for the upcoming Roseanne reboot. Not only does the show look like it'll be just as funny this time around, but it also sees the return of the entire original cast (including John Goodman as Dan despite the character's death, and both of the actresses who played Becky). To get you even more excited for the new episodes, take a look at just how much the cast has changed over the last 30 years.

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Here's When All Your Favorite Shows Will Return After the Winter Hiatus

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Now that it's the Winter, TV shows are slowly going on holiday hiatus (if they haven't already), so settle in for several weeks of holiday specials, reruns, and annual broadcasts of The Sound of Music and It's a Wonderful Life. Before you know it, though, it'll be 2018, and the networks and streaming services are wasting no time bringing your favorite shows back - the first batch of new episodes starts on New Year's Day.

Here are all the midseason premiere dates we know for returning shows. Keep checking back for updates, as networks like CBS and Fox have yet to announce most of their midseason dates!

ABC

  • The Bachelor: Jan. 1
  • Match Game: Jan. 3
  • Grey's Anatomy: Jan. 18
  • Scandal: Jan. 18
  • How to Get Away With Murder: Jan. 18
  • 2018 Academy Awards: March 4
  • American Idol revival: March 11

Fox

  • The Mick: Jan. 2

NBC

  • The Brave: Jan. 1
  • This Is Us: Jan. 2
  • Chicago Med: Jan. 2
  • The Blacklist: Jan. 3
  • Law & Order: SVU: Jan. 3
  • Chicago P.D.: Jan. 3
  • Superstore: Jan. 4
  • The Good Place: Jan. 4
  • Will & Grace: Jan. 4
  • Great News: Jan. 4
  • Chicago Fire: Jan. 4
  • Blindspot: Jan. 12
  • Taken: Jan. 12

The CW

  • Valor: Jan. 1
  • Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Jan. 5
  • Supergirl: Jan. 15
  • The Flash: Jan. 16
  • Riverdale: Jan. 17
  • Dynasty: Jan. 17
  • Supernatural: Jan. 18
  • Arrow: Jan. 18
  • Jane the Virgin: Jan. 26

HBO

  • Divorce: Jan. 14
  • Crashing: Jan. 14
  • High Maintenance: Jan. 19

Cinemax

  • Strike Back: Feb. 2

Netflix

  • Grace and Frankie: Jan. 19

Amazon

  • The Tick: Feb. 23

Hulu

  • The Path: Jan. 17

CBS All Access

  • Star Trek: Discovery: Jan. 7

FX

  • The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story: Jan. 17
  • Baskets: Jan. 23

Freeform

  • The Fosters: Jan. 9
  • Beyond: Jan. 18

TBS

  • The Detour: Jan. 23

History

  • Vikings: Jan. 24

IFC

  • Portlandia: Jan. 18

Lifetime

  • Unreal: Feb. 26

CMT

  • Nashville: Jan. 4

E!

  • WAGS Atlanta: Jan. 3
  • Revenge Body With Khlo Kardashian: Jan. 7

Paramount (formerly Spike)

  • Lip Sync Battle: Jan. 18

PBS

  • Victoria: Jan. 14

Starz

  • Ash vs. Evil Dead: Feb. 25

Syfy

  • The Magicians: Jan. 10
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Why the Battle of the Sexes Was a Big Deal in More Ways Than One

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File the Battle of the Sexes backstory under "you can't make this sh*t up." Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, the movie, which came out Sept. 22, tells the true story of the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs - a national spectacle dubbed "the Battle of the Sexes" - that took place 44 years ago.

As a feminist and a tennis player who was raised by a feminist tennis player, I have always been fascinated with this piece of history, and the wild story definitely deserved to be made into a movie. The match was significant not only because - spoiler alert - King demolished Riggs as 90 million people watched on TV, but it also transformed women's tennis and women's sports in general.

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The Impetus

Riggs, a 55-year-old former Wimbledon champion who had been off the circuit for years, put the entire event in motion. He was a proud male chauvinist who asserted that he could still beat any woman tennis player and that women belonged "in the bedroom and the kitchen."

I asked my mom what she remembered about Riggs and that moment in history. "He was just an assh*le," she said. "He did win some major tournaments back in his day, but he had a reputation for being a hustler. His time was definitely over by the time he did all that."

At the same time, women's professional tennis was still a burgeoning sport and fighting to be taken seriously. Feminism wasn't yet mainstream: a woman beating a man at tennis would be a huge step toward negating the idea that women were the weaker sex. Riggs initially challenged Wimbledon champ Billie Jean King, who was 29 at the time, but she turned him down. As King told NPR in 2008: "we had just started women's professional tennis, and it was a very difficult time for us. . . . Bobby kept saying, Play me, play me, and I said, Bobby, we're so busy, I'm so busy, I don't have time."

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Instead, No. 1 women's tennis player Margaret Court accepted Riggs's challenge and lost brutally. As King told NPR, "he beat her like 6-2, 6-1. I mean, it was just annihilation, basically." When she heard how badly Riggs had beat Court, King thought, "well, I have to play him now."

The Match

Held in the Houston Astrodome, the match drew 30,000 spectators, including a number of celebrities. The Battle of the Sexes was basically the opposite of the refined Wimbledon tournament. King was carried out on an Egyptian "litter" - basically a throne - by the Rice University men's track team. She wore a tennis dress with a splash of sequins designed by Ted Tinling, a famous tennis-apparel designer. (The dress now rests in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.) Riggs wore a red and yellow shirt that said Sugar Daddy and arrived on a rickshaw surrounded by an entourage of women he called his "bosom buddies." At stake was a $100,000 prize.

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Billie Jean King kicked Riggs's ass, with a final score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Riggs was wrong, and King scored a victory for womankind. Riggs conceded gracefully, admitting that King had "played too well," plain and simple. The women's pro had prepped intensely, checking out the venue ahead of time and crafting a strategy to "run him into the ground" and win the first set. King and Riggs eventually became friends, and Riggs stayed out of the limelight until his death in 1995.

Some sources later speculated that Riggs - who had a gambling problem - had purposefully thrown the match. But King called those allegations "ridiculous." My mom also finds that theory hard to believe: "I cannot believe, as cocky as he was, that he would have let her win."

The Legacy

King's victory had a lasting impact on women's tennis. In 1973, the same year as the Battle of the Sexes, King founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and for the first time in history, the US Open began offering equal prize money to male and female winners. By 2007, all Grand Slam tournaments had followed suit, thanks to the continued fight by King and other female players. The event also made King into a true sports superstar; she signed endorsement deals with Adidas, Wilson, Colgate, and more brands.

King came out as gay in 1981 and retired from tennis in 1983, after winning 12 major titles. She was also something of a visionary when it came to women's sports and women's rights: she helped start a players' union and an advocacy group for female athletes. President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, she was one of two openly gay delegates representing the US at the opening ceremony in what was widely regarded as "a clear message to Russia about its treatment of gay and lesbian citizens."

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These 5 Upcoming Romantic Comedies Will Make You Actually Look Forward to 2018

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Next year is promising a ton of exciting movies - like any year in the last decade or so, there are several epic superhero events and beyond-big sequels. But if you're looking for some movies that are a bit smaller in scale but big on heart, we have the list you're looking for: 2018's romantic comedies. With some cute adaptations and continuations of beloved series, there's a little bit of love out there for everyone.

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Here's Why the Sea Monster Sex Is Actually a Very Important Part of Shape of Water

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Spoiler alert: FYI, we will be discussing a key aspect of Guillermo del Toro's sexy sea monster film, Shape of Water.

Listen, I'm going to cut right to the chase. I'm a big fan of Guillermo del Toro. Going in to Shape of Water, I was excited. It appeared to be an incredibly rich and beautiful story. The visuals in the trailers alone were enough to convince me that the film would be utterly enchanting. Long story short, I did love it. I'd argue it's del Toro's best film since Pan's Labyrinth. But even though I fell in love with this whimsical and timeless tale, even though I think it's a strong Oscar contender and one of my favorite films of the year, I left with one lingering question: did Eliza and the sea creature need to have sex?

If you're questioning the question, let me assure you that they do, indeed, have sex. Eliza even describes the anatomy of the fish man, who seems to have some kind of trap door down there that opens up to reveal his, um, fish-man-italia. In a later scene, the two successfully fill Eliza's bathroom with water, naked, and seem to have another glorious scene of love-making. All the while I wondered, did they need to consummate this relationship in this way? Could they have forgone the sex and still maintained the power of the narrative?

Ahead of the film's release, I hopped on the phone with Doug Jones, the human man who is inside the fish suit in the film. Jones has a long history of starring in Guillermo del Toro's films - he plays the Fauno in Pan's Labyrinth, Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, and more - and he has an even longer history of this kind of creature work in the broader spectrum of the film industry. When I asked Jones about the sex and why it was necessary, he actually gave a pretty incredible answer.

In those classic monster movies that Guillermo was inspired by as a child, even Creature From the Black Lagoon being a big one . . . all those monsters, the creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, King Kong, the list goes on. There's also a human being involved with that monster who finds empathy, sympathy with him. A romantic notion might be in the air over that sympathy, right?

So, Guillermo [del Toro], once he saw The Creature From the Black Lagoon, he developed a crush on both Julie Adams and the creature at the same time. And he really wanted that romance to be actualized and completed. He said that as a child, he even doodled them after he saw the movie: Julie Adams and the creature holding hands at the beach, on a bicycle together, having a picnic together. He drew multiple pictures of them in hopes that they might have gotten together one day. Well, this is the movie that he made now. He wanted to make the movie where the monster does not have to transform into a handsome prince in order to be loved.

All of us at some point in our lives have felt like we're the out-of-sorts one. We're the one who doesn't fit in. We're the one who's different from everybody else and we're not lovable somehow. I think everybody has that running fear [laughter], and I certainly can tap into that.

To be in a story where I don't have to change, I just have to be accepted, and where someone finds me beautiful. She sees the beauty in my monster-ness. And I see the similarity in her, too. We see something in each other that others find invisible, or expendable, or even distasteful. But with each other, we find the beauty in it all. And so gosh, who wouldn't want to tell that story?

So, there you have it. While it's heartening to see Eliza's bond with this creature, that sort of sympathy and camaraderie is a pretty common staple of classic "monster" movies. But to see a love story, to see a film where the creature really gets the girl . . . that's something we never see. So, yes, I was a bit incredulous about the sex in Shape of Water. But when you look at it in this broader context, it makes a lot of sense.

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10 Places You May Have Seen Your Sexy New Crush, Edgar Ramirez

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By now you're probably aware that Edgar Ramirez will be playing Gianni Versace in the second season of American Crime Story. While it's obviously a major role for Ramirez, it certainly isn't his first rodeo. The Venezuelan stud has been acting since the early '90s, and in 2005, he scored his first movie role in Domino starring Keira Knightley. Take a look back at some of Ramirez's most famous roles before American Crime Story returns in early 2018.

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Every Dreadful Detail We Have About A Series of Unfortunate Events Season 2

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If watching one season of seriously unfortunate events befalling some seriously unfortunate children was not enough for you, we have good news: Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events has been renewed for a second season (as well as a third)! Although official details have been hard to come by, a few key tidbits have trickled out to the masses (including the premiere date!). From the plot to the star-studded cast, keep reading to see what we know so far.

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